T'ai Chi style Praying Mantis

One of the classic mantis styles, Tai Chi is a bit softer than Seven Star Mantis but shares many similarities.Visit our information section on the Praying Mantis for further clarification of the different mantis styles. The teacher, Xia ShaoLong, runs the ShaoLong Sports Club in that famous center of mantis studies, QingDao city.

IMPORTANT! A few customers have had problems playing this series on their DVD players. Although the series is coded at NTSC playable in all regions, it does not come up on all DVD players. You should have no problems playing these on your computer; we always recommend the free download of VLC player for trouble-free playing of DVDs OR VCDs on your computer.

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DVD #24177 Ba Zhou (8 Elbows)

A key form of the TC Mantis. Though it's called Eight Elbows it really contains more like thirty elbow techniques and, as anybody knows, the control of the elbow is one of the keys to mantis movement. Teacher Xia is not afraid to show usage and with some authority as he is a hefty man. His presentations are, for the most part, quite clear.

DVD #24178 Luan Jie

A mother form of the system, you can interpret the title Luan Jie in two ways. The first is to connect all the loose ends. A crucial part of the training especially where this form generally comes into training. The other hint is that of a collection of awkward seeming movements which, in the case of mantis, is not always accidental. Many fast techniques here with some unusual postures.

DVD #24179 Beng Bu

Often seen as a very basic mantis set, Beng Bu can be played on more than one level. It is simple in hand techniques, compact, skillful and useable in combat. It's movements show the very spine and essence of the style. This particular version is probably not like most Beng Bu's you have seen. Considerably more complex than the typical version, it has more moves, angle changes, sweeps and hand techniques. Teacher Xia demonstrates the breakdown both in the air and on his students.

DVD #24180 Di Gong and Combat

This form is a ground set where you dive to the earth and demonstrate techniques from there. The mantis is famous for having "monkey legs" and this shows up in its ground fighting capabilities. In TC Mantis this is their version of Zhai Yao with seven sections. The longish form contains a lot of ground work with kip ups, rolls and twirls. The applications among his students show a level of ground techniques which, as the introduction mentions, is now rare in the mantis.